


Newt Year's Eve

by Bitmeddler



Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Awkward Flirting, Awkward plot contrivances that lead to awkward conversations and awkward flirting, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, New Year's Eve, New Year's Kiss, Pre-Canon, hints at mutual pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:08:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28366656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitmeddler/pseuds/Bitmeddler
Summary: It's the annual Shatterdome New Year's Eve shindig and Hermann isn't sure how Newt managed to convince him to attend. Hermann is about to leave and spend the remainder of the night alone when a strange conversation inspires him to stay until midnight. A tale of awkward work parties, confused emotions and an interesting arrangement between lab partners.
Relationships: Newton Geiszler & Hermann Gottlieb, Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Comments: 8
Kudos: 38





	Newt Year's Eve

Dr. Hermann Gottlieb stood in the Hong Kong Shatterdome mess hall on the evening of December 31, 2024 wondering fiercely for the fourth time in ten minutes what on earth had possessed him to do so. He stared off absently into the middle distance, willing the night to come to a swift end.

To his left, his colleague and lab partner Dr. Newt Geiszler charmed the small group of LOCCENT and J-tech officers gathered around him with engaging anecdotes accompanied by exuberant gesticulations. Hermann took a long breath in through his nose, wanting nothing more than to leave.

It was not Newt’s animated chattering that inspired his desire to depart. His colleague’s stories were entertaining, despite the fact that Hermann had heard most of them multiple times by now (they had been working together for years at this point) and had even begun to feature in a number of them himself. It was the way the whole exchange felt like an artificial obligation, an employer-imposed social contrivance brought about only by the fact that the year happened to be coming to a close. 

Cynicism regarding workplace administered socialization aside, the way that one good looking LOCCENT officer laughed a little too hard at Newt’s jokes was not helping his mood. 

Hermann’s feelings towards his colleague had long since become a confused and uninterpretable jumble that he refused to examine in detail. Every time a concrete emotion began to solidify or clarify, he pushed it back into the recess of his mind to avoid having to confront it. Their working relationship, while incredibly productive and rewarding, also felt precarious at times and the last thing Hermann wanted to do was upset their delicate interpersonal ecosystem.

“...and that’s when Hermann here,” Newt clapped his lab mate on the back enthusiastically, needlessly drawing him into the narrative, “told me it had been _under_ the kaiju spleen the whole time.”

The group erupted in a torrent of raucous laughter and Mr. LOCCENT of the broad shoulders and chiseled jawline put an unnecessary hand on Newt’s arm.

Hermann wished privately yet passionately to be back in his quarters. He had purchased a bottle of decent prosecco which was chilling in his tiny fridge and had very much been looking forward to an evening alone with the sparkling wine and a good book. Replaying the scene over in his head, he was still not entirely sure how Newton had somehow convinced him to come. 

Eventually the temporary gathering dissipated as was the pattern at such events and Hermann was left in only Newt’s company. His colleague smiled sideways at him and raked a hand through his unrulier-than-usual hairdo. 

Newt had clearly put no small effort into his appearance tonight. He was as clean shaven as Hermann had ever seen him and had his hair spiked up with some kind of gel that contained an excessive amount of sparkles so his hair glinted and shimmered in the light as he moved. He had on a silver tie over a black shirt and cuffed skinny jeans and his usual Doc Martens shone with a recent polish. Hermann was also reasonably certain that Newt was wearing eyeliner. 

Hermann’s look this evening was considerably less ostentatious, with a crisp, blue button up and a minuscule amount of product in his hair which he had double checked prior to usage was not expired given his employment of the substance was so infrequent. 

Newt turned to Hermann and asked, “What about him?”

“What about who?” Hermann returned the question with another, perplexed by Newton’s non sequitur chain of thought.

“The guy who was standing next to me.”

“I’m… not following,” Hermann stated with a flat tone.

“For the midnight kiss!” Newt said, picking up the thread of a recent conversation. 

This was not the first time this month, or even this week that Newton had brought it up. As of December 1, he seemed to mention it at every opportunity and had asked Hermann incessantly his “opinion on it all” and if he “knew any cute, single guys” and how it was “bad luck not to” and whether “it was something Hermann ever did.”

He had largely zoned his colleague out and shut the subject down every time it had come up with monosyllabic utterances of outward disinterest. He now took the opportunity to question his lab partner on the matter. 

“Newton, I have to ask,” Hermann began.

“Yeah?” Newt said quickly, seeming to freeze and looking at him with intense anticipatory energy. 

“Why is it important to you?”

“Why…?” Newt asked initially in a loud voice, but he abruptly looked to the side and down at the floor, and his voice was barely audible when he spoke again. “I dunno, man. Sometimes being alone all the time just… gets to me.”

Hermann suddenly felt a surge of sympathy for his lab mate. Their long and intense work hours in combination with the fact that it was not technically necessary to leave the Shatterdome meant that socializing outside its confines did not come without significant surplus effort. Hermann was rarely bothered by this reality but it occurred to him that it was doubtless a hardship for his more social colleague. 

“Plus, it’s really bad luck not to kiss someone at midnight on New Year's!” Newt added, reiterating his earlier justifications and recovering his effusive demeanor. “I don’t wanna tempt fate, you know?”

Newt looked down at his shoes and then back up to Hermann. “It’s dumb, isn’t it?”

“It is,” Hermann agreed, but added with a small smile. “But when has that ever stopped you before?”

“Yeah,” Newt said, chuckling slightly in agreement at Hermann’s acerbic comment. “I mean, if I can find someone… which you know, is no guarantee.”

Hermann regarded his colleague for a sober moment. Newt looked earnestly a little distressed and was clearly expecting Hermann to say something in response. He spoke before he had ample time to contemplate the consequences of his statement.

“Newton,” Hermann said quickly and lowered his voice, leaning heavily on his cane. “If it’s really so important to you… I will do it.”

“What…” Newt said, mouth agape and disbelief apparent. “You’ll… kiss me?”

“If and only if you do not find anyone else,” Hermann specified, backtracking somewhat. _Good god, what was he saying?_ He was certain Newton was on the verge of laughing or making fun of him or dismissing him entirely.

“O-oh… okay…” Newt said slowly, taking a moment to process the information before clarifying. “If I don’t… yeah. Yeah, okay. So, like, a contingency plan?”

“Yes,” Hermann stated curtly. “Yes, exactly.”

“So I guess I should um… try to find someone then…?” Newt said, his tone rising slightly as if asking a question. “So, you, uh… don’t have to, you know…”

There was a silence that followed their exchange that Hermann did not feel inclined to break. Newt had for years attempted to fill in every moment of quiet between them with a comment of some sort, but had eventually come around to accepting a lack of conversation as comfortable. Hermann considered this a tremendous leap of progress between them interpersonally, indicating an ease rather than a lack of things to say. 

This was the first time in a very long while that the silence between them could be classified as awkward.

Newt looked down at his empty plastic champagne flute. “I’m gonna grab a refill. You want anything?”

“No thank you, Newton,” Hermann said in an unnecessarily rigid and formal tone. Newt nodded and flitted off into the crowd.

Hermann let out a long breath and clutched his cane, a part of him unsure what had just happened. It was not like him to put himself out there for possible rejection and his mind reeled from his uncharacteristic impulsivity. 

Hermann was only alone for a few moments with his confused thoughts when Aleksis and Sasha Kaidonovsky sauntered up to him, Aleksis giving him a firm pat on the shoulder as Sasha drew him into a brief but powerful hug.

“Dr. Gottlieb!” Aleksis said with friendly enthusiasm. “How are you liking the party?” 

“Oh, you know,” Hermann said ambiguously. 

“Where is your shorter, tattooed friend?” Sasha asked, looking around Hermann’s immediate vicinity. 

Hermann knew that he and his inked lab mate were widely considered a package deal; rare to see one without the other. He was certain there were rumours about them, which Hermann vehemently ignored, due in part that it was uncomfortable to be the subject of them and due also to the fact that they were grossly inaccurate. Seeing the way Newt brushed the whisperings off as utter and total rubbish always made his stomach twist uncomfortably. 

“He is on a bit of a personal quest tonight,” Hermann said as Sasha quirked an eyebrow at him, picking up on his air of discomfort.

“Well, never mind the tiny punk scientist,” she said with a hint of sympathy. “Join us for a drink?” she added amicably.

The three of them settled into one of the long tables. Aleksis made numerous refill trips to the drink table. The couple had arrived in Hong Kong with Cherno Alpha after the closing of the Vladivostok Shatterdome. Due to their working in different sections and the duo’s outwardly taciturn nature, Hermann hadn’t had much opportunity to speak to them at length before tonight, but found their direct and unpretentious nature a breath of fresh air.

Hermann’s attention remained mostly focused on their conversation, but his eyes flicked occasionally around the room, searching for his missing lab partner.

He located him in another large group, accompanied by Tendo Choi as well as Mr. LOCCENT who was right back at Newt’s side, this time having slung a more-than-friendly arm around the shorter man, who made no outward effort to discourage the attention.

Well, that was that then. Newton had surely found his midnight match. Hermann’s stomach clenched in a cold knot of discomfort but he tried to avoid any obvious demonstration of his displeasure so as not to offend his new acquaintances. He refocused resolutely on their conversation.

The Kaidonovskys remained for another good while before finally standing up to mingle a little more before midnight. They both gave Hermann a friendly hug before leaving. Hermann sat momentarily alone at the table, beginning to seriously contemplate an early departure. He was certain Newton would not be returning.

Just as he had stood up and was about to make his way back to his room, Tendo Choi was next to him having recently left the larger group to do the rounds. 

“Hey brother,” he smiled, giving Hermann a friendly handshake which transitioned into a quick back-slapping hug. “How’s it going?”

“If I'm being honest,” Hermann knew Tendo fairly well and didn’t feel the need to put on airs around the man, “wishing desperately I was elsewhere.”

Tendo laughed and nodded. “I get it. Not your scene.”

“Not at all,” Hermann admitted with a short sigh.

“You and Newt not hanging out tonight?” Tendo inquired. Hermann huffed and reiterated the response he’d given to Sasha and Aleksis.

“He’s on a little quest at the moment, I don’t expect to see him again this evening,” Hermann explained.

“Oh yeah?” Tendo quirked an eyebrow with interest. “What’s he up to?”

Hermann hesitated for a moment before deciding that there was no reason to hide the information. “He is looking for a partner for a kiss at midnight.” 

Tendo furrowed his brow in confusion. “Really?” he shook his head. “I don’t think so, man, that doesn’t track. One of the guys on my team was gunning hard to get in his pants and I just watched Newt turn him down flat for a midnight make-out session.”

Hermann was unsure how to interpret this development. 

Tendo chuckled and offered a nonplussed shrug. “I mean, what’s that about?”

“I’m certain I have no idea,” Hermann said honestly.

It was 11:50pm when Newt returned.

“You’re still here!” he exclaimed with a look of palpable relief. “I was afraid you’d, or, uh… I thought maybe you’d left already.”

“No, I’ve just been making myself scarce,” Hermann replied. “You know I’m not terribly fond of this type of engagement.”

As if perfectly on cue to make his point, a very inebriated J-tech officer let out a deafening _‘wooo’_ before stumbling and abruptly face planting into the snack table, unceremoniously sending chips hurtling through the air.

“Fair point,” Newt said, stifling a chuckle at the scene as Hermann gave his most unimpressed head shake.

"So, uh I’ve got some bad news though,” Newt said, shoving his hands into his pockets. 

“What’s that?” Hermann asked, as Newt refused to make eye contact with him for more than a second at a time.

“I, uh… wasn’t able to find anyone else for the midnight kiss thing… so…”

“Oh, um...” Hermann paused, perplexed at the contradictory information before him. “You weren’t?”

“Nah,” Newt said, kicking his boot over a scuff mark on the floor but not elaborating further. 

“Well, I gave you my word, Dr. Geiszler.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth he had no idea why he’d used Newton’s formal title but he raised his chin slightly to attempt to sell the statement. 

“I mean, it’s stupid,” Newt said, now holding Hermann’s gaze, eyes searching. “Right? Is it stupid? It’s stupid.”

Hermann took a small step closer and lowered his voice. “If it’s important to you, then it isn’t stupid.” 

Newton blinked at him slowly before coming up with yet another justification. “I mean, it’s tradition!” he added quickly. “And… tradition is, you know… it’s good to respect tradition.”

Hermann couldn’t think of a single other time when Newton had made a show of upholding tradition. If anything, the man tended towards combative belligerence in the face of established norms. But he refrained from pointing this out. 

Newton suddenly noticed Hermann’s empty hand. “Oh!” he exclaimed. “You don’t have any bubbly!”

Before Hermann could react, Newt had turned and was gone again. He felt a momentary panic that he couldn’t define watching Newton’s retreating form. The crowd had already closed in around him, blocking him from view.

Hermann felt his shoulders sag. What if Newton did not return? He berated himself instantly for all the confusing feelings that were once again making themselves painfully present and impossible to ignore.

He glanced at his watch. Five minutes to go. He sighed heavily and resigned himself to wait, not daring to move a centimeter from his current position lest Newton be unable to locate him.

The minutes ticked by painfully slow. Hermann would see a quick glimpse of his lab partner in the shifting throng of humanity, but would then lose sight of him again, his colleague’s smaller stature making it far too easy to lose him in a crowd.

The indiscernible chattering din of the party reached a crescendo before suddenly dying down in anticipation of the midnight countdown. And then without warning, it began.

“TEN!” the crowd echoed in unison.

 _Where are you, Newton?_ Hermann thought desperately. 

“NINE!”

_And why in god’s name do I care?_

“EIGHT!”

_I’m an idiot, I should have never remained at this ridiculous gathering._

“SEVEN!”

_I should have put in an appearance and returned to my quarters like any sensible person would have._

“SIX!”

_And why did I tell Newton I would kiss him?_

“FIVE!”

_Perhaps he found someone else after all..._

“FOUR!”

_He’s not coming back. And now my offer has unequivocally ruined our professional relationship._

“THREE!”

_Damn it all, Newton, where are you?_

“TWO!”

Suddenly Newton burst forth through a wall of people blocking his path. He was holding two plastic champagne flutes filled to the brim and the liquid sloshed and spilled with the effort of his motions. 

“ONE!”

His eyes connected with Hermann’s and he smiled widely taking what could only be described as a running leap towards his colleague. 

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!”

Hermann steadied himself and braced for impact as Newt flew into his arms and connected their lips. A booming cheer reverberated loudly through the room and some small, quiet place in the back of Hermann’s mind echoed the sentiment.

The kiss was close mouthed and chaste but Hermann felt an unanticipated electricity surge through him at the contact. Newt’s lips were soft and tasted vaguely sweet. He wrapped his arms around the smaller man, who he realized had gone up on his toes to try and close the distance.

Hermann stood motionless as he felt the slightest trace of Newt’s tongue dance across his bottom lip. He parted his lips slightly and Newt took the invitation enthusiastically to deepen the kiss and he felt Newt’s arms wrap comfortably around his shoulders. 

The cheering had long since faded when finally they broke away from each other, breathing heavily.

Hermann took an unsteady side step to prevent losing his balance and his shoe made contact with a wet substance on the ground. He looked down to see both plastic champagne flutes Newt had been holding laying on the floor, their contents already beginning to form a sticky mess.

“Oops,” Newt looked down at them sheepishly flushing a bright pink color. “I must have dropped them… uh, at some point there.”

“Well,” Hermann started slowly, drumming up all the suave confidence he could muster under the circumstances. “It just so happens that I have a full bottle of prosecco in my room, if you wanted to accompany me to drink it.”

Newt looked momentarily shocked before recovering and grinning widely.

“Hell yeah, I do,” Newt said and lowered his voice. “I’m _super_ into prosecco.”

Hermann raised an eyebrow at his colleague as they both made for the exit. "This is the first I've heard of it, and I've suffered through all your stories numerous times."

Newt looked across at him with a quick eye roll but reached out to take Hermann's hand in his, giving it a quick squeeze. “Yeah, yeah… I’ve uh… been into prosecco for, like, _years_ dude.”

They practically ran back to Hermann’s room.

**Author's Note:**

> Just a little New Year’s story that wouldn’t let me be until I got it down. I know the midnight kiss on New Year’s and the whole "well, if no one else will do it, I will resign myself to it if it is required of me" kiss thing are both the trope-iest tropes that ever troped, but I had fun dialing the awkwardness up to eleven with these two.


End file.
